Page 46 of Curvy Fake Wife for the Player

“Yeah, I’m here now, but that’s not what I’m calling about.” I inhaled and on the exhale explained about the wedding and my need for a meal tasting partner.

“Wow,” she laughed. “I have so many questions, but not enough time to ask, get the answers or go taste testing with you. Sorry. Try Lucy.”

Bummer. “Maybe I will, thanks.”

“Yep, and don’t think we won’t be having a conversation about this soon.” With another laugh Toni ended the call.

Lucy and I weren’t all that close, but I knew her well enough to ask, but her easy acceptance surprised me. “I’ll meet you at the caterer,” she said quickly.

An hour later Lucy and I sat at a small table with Dixie and Lena at our sides. “Don’t tell anyone but this was my favorite part of wedding planning. For some women it’s the dress but for me it was the food.” She laughed and her eyes sparkled with pure bliss.

“The cake tasting has been my favorite so far,” I admitted. My mind tried to pull up the memories of Alex replacing the cake with his delectable mouth but I shoved them away. “This part isn’t bad either.” The food was good but making a decision had struck me with fear so palpable that I couldn’t move. “I can’t choose.”

Lucy nodded knowingly. “That’s all right. Pick your top two or three from each course and ask if you can take them home to your groom, name dropping him if you have to, so that you can decide together. It’ll work, trust me.”

“Yeah, okay. Thanks.” What in the hell was wrong with me? I’d stood at my mother’s side for dozens if not hundreds of events like this and I could normally make these choices in my sleep. This inability to make a decision was definitely about myfeelings for my future husband and that just made me mad. “I’ll go ask for some to go containers.”

Lucy was right, the chef had no problem packing up a few items for me once she realized I was the “regular woman” who got to marry Alex Witter. “I’ll bring it to your table.”

“Okay, thank you.” That was easy enough and I was grateful that Lucy was available today or we might have ended up with hoagie sandwiches for our wedding meal. “She’s going to bring out the to-go containers but we’re done so you can get back to your day. I appreciate you making time in your day for me, though.”

“Are you kidding? We’re practically going to be sisters. Dante is a bit of a grump and Alex is his best friend so we’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the years.”

I looked away because I didn’t like to lie but the truth was we would only see each other for the next couple of years and then I would just be the girl that was Alex’s first wife.

“Is something wrong?”

“No,” I said too quickly. “Nothing at all. Why?”

“No reason,” Lucy said just as quickly. “Let’s get out of here.”

I frowned. “Where are we going?”

Lucy sent me a coy smile. “You’ll see.”

A thread of worry tightened inside of me but I didn’t think she had any nefarious plans so I strapped Dixie in and followed Lucy in her navy blue Mercedes. We stopped at a gargantuan light brick building without a sign, at least anywhere that I could see. “What is this place,” I asked as she and Lena stopped beside the car.

Lucy bounced on her toes. “We’re going wedding dress shopping!” She jumped up and down as much as her pregnant body would allow, and then she stopped. “I mean, I assumed you didn’t have one yet since you didn’t say anything, or show me any photos.”

Shit. “I totally forgot.” How on earth was I going to sell this story about my relationship with Alex when I totally spaced on what most women consider the centerpiece of their wedding day? The gown. “How could I have forgotten?”

“Pregnancy brain?” Lucy offered with a teasing grin.

“Definitely not.”

She frowned.

“I mean, we’re careful. Now isn’t the right time, with Dixie’s arrival and the season starting and all that.” Dammit, I was blowing this. “I’m not pregnant. Just forgetful, apparently.”

“No worries. We’re here and we’ll find you something that’ll make Alex swallow his tongue.”

The thought of Alex seeing me as a woman suitable for him in every way, of him gasping in shock when he caught sight of me in my wedding dress was appealing. But it couldn’t happen.

Could it?

“Sasha?” Lucy’s concerned expression made me realize I’d spaced out, lost in my own thoughts.

“Oh, sorry. I guess I was just imagining his face when he sees me,” I lied. He did say I was perfect and beautiful, though it was in the heat of passion so did that really count? I didn’t know but staring at Lucy’s hopeful expression made me want to find out.

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